Mankind is currently powered by four fuels: petroleum, coal, nuclear power from uranium, and energy from renewable sources. As the 21st Century progresses, growing energy demand is going to severely strain these sources. Resource-depletion will put increasing pressure on the petroleum, coal, and uranium obtained from the Earth. Some geologists now say that the world is running out of petroleum, having reached so-called "Peak Oil." Peak Oil is the maximum point of global annual petroleum extraction that can possibly be obtained, followed thereafter by permanent annual production declines, until the resource is used-up. Other scientists have concluded that the world has already reached its peak of annual coal production. Still, others are concerned that the peak of uranium production will soon be attained. Similarly, demand for renewable energy is going to strain what the sun, wind, and biofuels can give us.
As the world's non-renewable fuel resources decline there will be intense competition for what remains to be extracted, causing energy prices to inexorably climb. However, there is a very abundant Fifth Fuel available to everyone right now, which can be found just about anywhere: energy efficiency and conservation. These will help combat rising energy costs caused by the pressures from declining non-renewable energy sources.
Efficiency can be used in industry to recover waste heat at factories and recycle it to generate electricity. It can be used in commercial and residential buildings, where new designs promote energy conservation, and where smart-grid technology and efficient electronic devices allow more to be obtained from less electricity.
Efficiency can be also used to revolutionize the way we view transportation. Did you know that trains fall just below motorcycles in fuel efficiency? It's a matter of tons shipped per gallon burned, and one day rail may supplant less efficient long-haul trucking as the primary means of shipping goods.
The price and availability of jet-fuel will also one day dictate the economic viability of the airlines. When the price of oil exceeds $200 per barrel, many airlines will be in jeopardy. One Fifth Fuel solution may be designing highly efficient airliners, like the new Boeing 787. Ultimately, the rejuvenation of passenger rail could prove to be the most fuel-efficient means of moving people long distances. But how do you cross oceans? Ships are even more fuel-efficient than trains (in both cases it will be the numbers of people shipped per gallon burned).
And what about those awful, fuel-wasting traffic jams that occur with our morning and afternoon commutes? The Fifth Fuel solution will be to allow more employees to use the Internet to telecommute and work from their homes.
At some future point, the price of gasoline and other liquid fuels will necessitate accounting for each gallon burned. Efficiency will direct the way we approach transporting people and goods.
Whether it is the electricity used in your home, or the fuel burned in your vehicles, making prodigious use of the Fifth Fuel will help make your energy footprint smaller. Done smartly, this can be accomplished without making undue sacrifices. It will also help you keep more money in your pocket, while contributing fewer greenhouse gas emissions to the environment; a winning solution for both you and the planet.
Phil Hardy enjoys studying and writing articles about energy issues. He is fascinated with newly emerging renewable energy technologies, as well as Fifth Fuel solutions, such as LED light bulbs, which allow people to use less energy. For more information on what LED light bulbs can do for you, visit: http://led-lightbulb-reviews.com/
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